Automatic gas-gut-off apparatus



(No Model.) I v N. LOMBARD.

AUTOMATIG GASGUT-OPF APPARATUS.

No. 501,951. Patented July 25, 1893.

U ITED STAT S PATE T OFFICE.

NATHANIEL LOMBARD, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY A.-

CLARK, F BBOQKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC GAS-CUT-OFF APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,951, dated July 25, 1893.

Application filed April 20, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 'I, NATHANIEL LOMBARD,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk'and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas- Cut-Olf Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable to others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatic gas cut-off device to be employed in connection with and operated by automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus in such manner that when the latter is to be actively employed on any floor of a building for the purpose of quench- Y ing a'fire, simultaneously the gas supply is shut off from said building.

Briefly described my invention consists in the use of a cut-off device together with an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, and a connecting pipe system from the several floors of a building to said cut-off, whereby controlling mechanism connected with the cut-off device is actuated to shut oh": the gas supply.

tical sectional elevationiof a four story building provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of a single floor. Fig. 3 is an enlarged 5 view in detail of the gas cut-off device and operating mechanism. In the drawings I have illustrated a building A, in section constructed with four stories of which three floors are shown and indicated respectively at B. O. D. Said building is equipped with automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus preferably with what is termed a dry system; that is the several sections are each controlled by a valve leading from the main water supply and no water is admitted exceptin cases of danger and to extinguish an incipient fire. In this instance and for purposes of explanation I have shown an automatic fire extinguishing apparatus after that fully described in an application, Serial No. 470,432, filed by me on the 15th day of Serial No. 4671,168- (No model.)

April, 1893. This apparatus embraces a main supply pipe 2, a series of sections 3 composed of branch pipes 4 with laterals 5, these latter being preferably equipped with sprinklers or distributors 6. In addition each section is provided with a valve 7in proximity to the main supply, and said valves are adapted to be opened to admit water into the several sections only in time of danger. The operation 50 of these valves, normally held closed by the hydrostatic pressure in the main pipe 2, is controlled by a system of small operating pipes 8 adapted to contain some volatile hydro-carbon, or other liquid and by means of the pressure suddenly created through heat action of the fire, certain mechanism connected with said valves is operated and water allowed to enter such section or sections as the location or character of the fire demands for its quenching.

In many instances where fires have suddenly reached dangerous proportions, their rapid development has been frequently attributed to the destruction of the gas meter, 7 5 or the melting of the several attachments .or fittings which serve to unite the gas main with the meter and gas pipe system throughout the building, thus permitting full vent of the gas supply to add fuel to the fire. Myinventionis intended to cut off the gas supply simultaneously with the operation of an automatic fire extinguishing apparatus.

: gas main at 10 fitted at this point with a valve 12, which is arranged to be closed bya weighted lever 13. This latter is equipped with a short arm adapted to engage a pivotal latch 14, which normally holds the valve open, when no fire exists in the building. To render this gas cut-off device operative in times of danger and dependent upon the action of the fireextinguishing apparatus in any floor of the 5 building so equipped, I have provided a sys tem of conducting pipesb c d respectively for the several floors and united them with a common pipe a, which terminates in the basement and is equipped at this end with a water-tight 10o vessel 15 adapted in the present instance to contain a diaphragm 16 armed with a short rod 17 arranged to contact against the latch 14. Furthermore check-valves 18 are placed in each section of conducting pipes at a point in proximity to their union with the pipe at for purposes hereinafter explained.

As shown in Fig.1, the gas cut-0E mechanotherwise closed to prevent accidental or intentional interference with the mechanism and further to prevent damage in case of fire and falling walls.

The operation of this automatic gas cut-off device embodying my invention is as follows: Presuming the building is in a normal condition the gas cut-oft" mechanism isin the position represented in Fig. 3 with the gas supply on, while the valves 7 are closed and the several sections'3 of the fire-extinguishing pipes are empty. Should afire occurin the third floorD the operatingpipes 8 areplaced under pressure when some of the valves 7 are opened and water rushing'in fills them'while simultaneously a portion enters theconducting pipes 01, passes the check-valve 18, which opens in this direction, and pours into the pipe a, which it at once fills.- Pressure is immediately exerted on the latch 14 is tripped with the result to release the lever and close the gas cut-off in the gas main at a point where thelattcr enters the basementthrough the foundation wall. When the water fills the pipea it is prevented from backing up and entering the various'pipe syshence, a fire on one floor does not injure or flood any other, and yet each floor is in-one and the same system, and in readiness to operate the gas cut-off 1nechanism,should occasion require.-

To provide that the gas cut-01f shall not be operated'by a leak and gradual filling up-or" a small waste valve 20 in the'closed vessel,

see Fig. 3, and leave it open enough to drip- 1 and thereby prevent'water'from accumulat- 1 ing, but not enough to prevent action of the diaphragm when a sudden rush of water fills the pipe due to a fire in the building.

This

arrangement affords a complete safeguard against a large volume of gas filling a building at the time of a fire, since it is simple and efficient and its operation is positive, so long .as the automatic fire extinguishing apparatus 7 ais in working order. ism may be inclosed in abox 19 locked or What I claim isl. The combination with automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, of an automatic gas cut-off device, and a pipe system which connects the fire extinguishing apparatus on the several floors with the gas cut-0E device,

. whereby the latter is operated upon activity of the fire-extinguishing apparatus, substantially as and for purposes explained.

2. The combination with fire-extinguishing apparatus composedof independent sections, each provided with a valve to the main, and means for operating said valves should a fire 'occur,of a gascut-otf device,a conducting pipe systemconsisting of independent floor sections united with the fire extinguishing pipe sections, and acommon pipe which interconnectssaid conducting pipe system with mechanism for actuating the-gas cut-off, substantially asstated and set forth.

diaphragm 16, the latter is actuated and the I,

3. In combination with automatic fire-extinguishing apparatus, a'gas system, and acut- ;off therein, a holding latch, latch-operating mechanis'm,and a pipesystem whiclr interi connects the fire-extinguishing apparatus withthe latch-operating mechanism, substantially as described and stated.

terns, as b c by means of their check-valves;

4.. The combination with-a gas supply-pipe,

diaphragm within a'closed pipe at one end of said'pipe, and fire-extinguishing apparatus interconnected withthe other end, all operatin g substantially as specified. the pipe on until the latch is releascd,-I place In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NATHANIEL LOMBARD;

Witnesses:

H. E. LODGE, FRANCIS O. STANWOOD. 

